The invention relates to an installation vehicle which can be displaced in a duct, in particular in a sewer duct, and is intended for installing structural elements, preferably for fastening cable supports, on a duct wall, having a basic body on which are mounted wheels, arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel and rolling on the sewer bottom, and supporting rollers rolling on the side wall of the duct, at least one of the wheels being driven, and which is connected, preferably in a releasable manner, on an end side to a support which extends in the direction of travel and is intended for a seat.
DE 41 33 431 A has already disclosed a vehicle which can be displaced in a duct and has a basic body with a track system rolling on the sewer bottom and with supporting rollers rolling on the side walls of the duct. The basic body is connected in a releasable manner on the end side to a control platform which has a driver""s seat and steering wheels at the front and also, in the region of the steering wheels, a console for optionally fastening, operating and inspection equipment.
Recently, use has been made of existing sewer ducts for the purpose of laying cables, in particular glass-fiber cables, which have the advantage that no excavation is necessary for this purpose. For laying the ,cables, cable supports are installed in the duct, to be precise preferably at the highest location of the duct profile, which has an egg-shaped cross section. These tubular cable supports, which are provided laterally with a slot for the introduction of the cables, are fastened on the duct wall, for which purpose corresponding bores have to be produced in this duct wall. The task of installing such cable supports manually is a laborious one, in particular also because it is not usually possible for the workers to stand upright in the duct profile and water is channeled in the sewer bottom.
It is also the case that such cable supports cannot be installed in a duct wall using the vehicle disclosed in DE 41 33 431 A, since this vehicle does not provide any means for fitting such cable supports in relatively high regions of the duct, although this is necessary in order to prevent the cable supports, and thus the cables located therein, from being loaded.
The object of the present invention is to provide an installation vehicle by means of which structural elements, preferably cable supports, can be fastened on the wall of a usually water-channeling duct quickly and in a manner which is straightforward for the operator to execute. In order to achieve this object, the invention proposes that the basic body is of trough-like design for accommodating a power source, and that a raisable and lowerable platform, on which installation units are supported, is fastened on the basic body. It is preferable for carriers which project in the direction of travel and are intended for supporting seats to be provided on two opposite end sides of the installation vehicle according to the invention.
The installation vehicle according to the invention allows the seated individuals to work comfortably even in the case of the duct cross section being of relatively low height, the installation units supported on the raisable and lowerable platform making largely automated work possible.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the power source comprises a storage battery which is fastened in a releasable manner in the trough-like basic body and is preferably located in a water-tight box. For the purpose of controlling the individual subassemblies, in this case, there is provided on the trough-like basic body a control box which can be connected to the storage battery via cables and on which actuating elements, such as switches, buttons and/or levers, are arranged, it being possible for these to be easily operated by a seated operator.
In order to allow the position of the supporting rollers to be adapted to duct cross sections of different sizes, and thus reliably to prevent the installation vehicle from tilting, it is possible, according to the invention, for the supporting rollers to be mounted on changeable-length arms which are provided on the trough-like basic body.
For the purpose of guiding the raisable and lowerable platform, it is possible, according to a further feature of the invention, for upwardly projecting, preferably sleeve-like, guides to be provided on the trough-like basic body, it being possible for rods which project from the platform to be displaced in said guides.
In order to raise the platform, a preferably manually actuable hydraulic cylinder, which is supported on the trough-like basic body, is provided. This hydraulic cylinder is provided, for example, with a pump lever, the actuation of which causes the piston of the hydraulic cylinder to extend and raise the platform. Also provided in the hydraulic cylinder is a moving valve, the cylinder chamber being relieved of pressure when the latter is opened, as a result of which the platform is lowered.
According to the invention, it is possible for at least one pivoting bracket for the adjustable mounting of the installation units to be provided on the platform, with the result that these installation units can be oriented in the necessary manner.
In order that the installation units, having, for example, percussion drilling means, can be displaced in the direction of the duct wall on which the installation is to take place, linear guides, on which a slide for accommodating the tools, formed in particular by percussion drilling means, is guided such that it can be displaced and arrested, are provided on the pivoting bracket. This slide is provided with a manually releasable arresting means and is forced into its end position by a spring, preferably a pneumatic spring. If the arresting means is released, then, as a result of the action of the spring, the slide, and thus also the percussion drilling means or the like located on the slide, moves in the direction of the duct wall. In order to move the slide back into its rest position, in which it is fixed by the arresting means, a rack, which engages with a pinion which can be rotated by a crank, is provided on the slide, with the result that, by virtue of the pinion being rotated, the slide can be moved downward counter to the force of the spring.
The arresting means expediently has a triggering means which sets the percussion drilling means in operation, with the result that, during displacement of the slide in the direction of the duct wall, the percussion drilling means are automatically set in operation and drill fastener holes in the duct wall.
In order that the structural element which is to be fitted, for example the cable support, can also be moved into the installation position by means of the installation vehicle according to the invention, the installation vehicle, furthermore, has a mount which can be fixed by a catch, can be moved by a spring, once the catch has been released, and is intended for the structural element which is to be installed.
Electric wheel-hub motors which are integrated in the wheels are preferably provided for driving the latter, with the result that these wheels are driven directly.
In order to prevent the installation vehicle from executing an undesired movement in a sloping duct, it is possible for at least one of the wheels to have a manually actuable locking brake, which is preferably formed from a wedge which butts against the wheel circumference and which is supported on the trough-like basic body.
The invention is explained schematically, with reference to an exemplary embodiment, in the drawing.